System and method for evaluating operational integrity of a radio access network

• US 10,123,223 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Ford, Justin L., Shinholster, Drew
• Primary Examiner(s): Bataille, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US14/169,046
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

A method of evaluating operational integrity of a radio access network is provided. The method comprises using a computer that includes a transceiver, a processor, a non-transitory memory, and application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the application receives a satisfaction metric that is coarse grained. The satisfaction metric is associated with the user'"'"'s perceptions of a communication quality between the radio access network and a mobile communication device. The application determines a mobile communication device identifier, a network connection identifier, and a geolocation of the mobile communication device. A history of wireless communication is determined. The application analyzes the determined elements and associates the satisfaction metric with a communication type. A message is generated and is transmitted to a communication service provider associated with the radio access network.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating operational integrity of a radio access network, comprising:

using a computer including a transceiver, a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor, performs steps comprising;

receiving, via a single user selected discrete option that is coarse grained and selectable from a plurality of discrete options, a satisfaction metric from a mobile communication device,

wherein the satisfaction metric corresponds to one of the plurality of discrete options and the satisfaction metric provides a user'"'"'s level of satisfaction with a communication quality between the radio access network and the mobile communication device,

determining a mobile communication device identifier that is associated with the mobile communication device,

in response to receiving the satisfaction metric via the single user selected discrete option from the mobile communication device, determining a network connection identifier, a geolocation of the mobile communication device, and a history of wireless communication between the mobile communication device and the radio access network, wherein the history spans a predefined timeframe, and identifies a communication type including at least one of voice communication or data communication,

analyzing the network connection identifier and history of wireless communication,

responsive to analyzing the network connection identifier and history of wireless communication, associating the satisfaction metric with the communication type that includes at least one of voice communication or data communication,

in response to receiving the satisfaction metric via the single user selected discrete option from the mobile communication device, initiating a network communication test between the radio access network and another mobile communication device that did not provide the satisfaction metric to a server of a communication service provider associated with the radio access network,

responsive to receiving a result of the network communication test, generating a message comprising the result of the network communication test, the satisfaction metric, the mobile communication device identifier, the network connection identifier, the geolocation of the mobile communication device, and the history of wireless communication, and

transmitting the message to the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the application configures the computer to perform the further step comprising:

engaging in a separate network communication test between a component of the radio access network and the mobile communication device via the radio access network, wherein the network communication test generates a connectivity metric, and wherein the message further comprises the connectivity metric.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the application configures the computer to perform the further steps comprising:

determining a subset of a plurality of base transceiver stations based on the network connection identifier, geolocation of the mobile communication device, and history of wireless communication, and

presenting a virtual map on an interface that displays the subset of the plurality of base transceiver stations relative to the geolocation of the mobile communication device, wherein the virtual map is configured to receive an input of a satisfaction metric for at least one of the displayed subset of the plurality of base transceiver stations,

wherein receiving the satisfaction metric comprises receiving a selection from the displayed subset of the plurality of base transceiver stations, and

wherein associating the satisfaction metric with a communication type is based on receiving a selection from the displayed subset of the plurality of base transceiver stations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the application configures the computer to perform the further steps comprising:

receiving credentials from a user, and

verifying the credentials authorize access to the virtual map on the interface, and wherein presenting a virtual map on the interface is based on verified credentials.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the computer and the mobile communication device are the same, and

wherein the transceiver is a radio transceiver that communicatively couples the mobile communication device to the radio access network by a wireless communication protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the application configures the computer to perform the further step comprising:

engaging in a network communication test between a component of the radio access network and the mobile communication device via the radio access network, wherein the network communication test generates a connectivity metric, and wherein the message further comprises the connectivity metric.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein responsive to receiving the satisfaction metric, the application configures the computer to perform the further step comprising:

receiving a description of a geographic environment of the mobile communication device that corresponds to at least of one of a vehicle, a building, a transit facility, a sports facility, a public space, or a thoroughfare, and wherein the message further comprises the description of the geographic environment.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the radio access network promotes radio communication based on at least one of a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless protocol, a global system for mobile communications (GSM) wireless protocol, a long term evolution (LTE) wireless protocol, a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) wireless protocol, or an integrated digital enhanced network (iDEN) wireless protocol.

9. A system for maintaining a radio access network, comprising:

a feedback data store that comprises a plurality of messages, wherein each of the plurality of messages comprises;

a satisfaction metric received from a mobile communication device and selected via a single user selected discrete option that is coarse grained and selected from among a plurality of discrete options,

wherein the satisfaction metric corresponds to one of the plurality of discrete options and the satisfaction metric provides a user'"'"'s level of satisfaction with a communication quality between the radio access network and the mobile communication device, and

wherein the satisfaction metric is associated with at least one of voice communication or data communication,

a mobile communication device identifier that is associated with the mobile communication device, and

a network connection identifier;

a status data store that comprises metrics including at least one of performance metrics, network upgrade metrics, or trouble ticket metrics, and wherein the metrics of the status data store are associated with at least one base transceiver station; and

a server, including a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an application that is stored in the non-transitory memory that, upon execution by the processor, configures the server to;

receive a plurality of messages from the feedback data store,

analyze the plurality of messages received from the feedback data store,

identify a geolocation in the radio access network of each mobile communication device associated with each message,

identify at least one base transceiver station that corresponds to each mobile communication device associated with each message,

receive at least one of the metrics from the status data store corresponding to the identified at least one base transceiver station,

analyze the plurality of messages received from the feedback data store with at least one of the metrics received from the status data store, wherein the analysis determines that a correlation exists between at least a subset of the plurality of messages and the at least one of the metrics received from the status data store,

in response to receiving the satisfaction metric via the single user selected discrete option from the mobile communication device through one of the plurality of messages, initiate and engage in a network communication test via the radio access network with another mobile communication device that did not provide satisfaction metric to the server via one of the plurality of messages in the feedback data store, and

responsive to receiving results of the network communication test, generate and transmit a notification to a communication service provider associated with the radio access network based at least partially on the results of the network communication test, and wherein the notification identifies the existing correlation.

10. The system of claim 9,

wherein the mobile communication device identifier identifies at least one of a manufacturer, a serial number, a model number, a subscriber identity module (SIM), an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID), or a phone number, and

wherein the network connection identifier is associated with the satisfaction metric, and identifies a wireless communication protocol that is based on at least one of a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless protocol, a global system for mobile communications (GSM) wireless protocol, a long term evolution (LTE) wireless protocol, a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) wireless protocol, or an integrated digital enhanced network (iDEN) wireless protocol.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the network communication test is between a component of the radio access network and the another mobile communication device, wherein the server is further configured to generate a connectivity metric based on the network communication test, and wherein the generated connectivity metric is associated with the determined correlation.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the network communication test is based on at least one attribute of the existing correlation that is shared between the another mobile communication device of the network communication test and the mobile communication device that provided one of the plurality of messages, and

wherein the at least one attribute comprises any of a manufacturer, a developer, a predefined geographic location, a time of day, a customer account, or a planned event.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the application that is stored in the non-transitory memory and executed by the processor further configures the server to transmit an inquiry to a user associated with a message from the feedback data store, and wherein the inquiry requests the user to provide details about the corresponding message from the feedback data store.

14. A method of evaluating operational integrity of a radio access network, comprising:

receiving, by a server from a plurality of mobile devices, a plurality of messages that each correspond to one of the plurality of mobile communication devices,

wherein each message comprises a mobile communication device identifier, a network connection identifier, and a satisfaction metric that is a coarse grained metric received via a single user selected discrete option that was selected from among a plurality of discrete options,

wherein the coarse grained metric comprises one discrete option selected from a plurality of discrete options, and

wherein the satisfaction metric provides a user'"'"'s level of satisfaction with a communication quality between the radio access network and a corresponding mobile communication device;

analyzing each message received by the server;

based on the analysis of each message and the single user selected discrete option, identifying, by the server, a geolocation of each of the plurality of mobile communication devices;

responsive to identifying the geolocation of each of the plurality of mobile communication devices, determining, by the server, at least one base transceiver station for each corresponding mobile communication device;

associating, by the server, the determined at least one base transceiver station with a corresponding message;

analyzing, by the server, the plurality of messages, the corresponding at least one base transceiver station, and the corresponding identified geolocations against at least one of performance metrics, network upgrade metrics, or trouble ticket metrics, wherein the at least one of the metrics are associated with the corresponding at least one base transceiver station;

in response to receiving the satisfaction metric via the single user selected discrete option from one of the plurality of mobile communication devices, initiating and engaging in a network communication test, by the server via the radio access network, with another mobile communication device that did not provide the server with any satisfaction metric via any one of the plurality of messages;

generating, by the server, a request for a detailed explanation about the satisfaction metric that corresponds to one of the plurality of messages based on results from the network communication test; and

transmitting the request to the one of the plurality of mobile communication devices associated with the one of the plurality of messages received by the server.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of discrete options correspond to a plurality of visual representations displayable and selectable on an interface.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the request for a detailed explanation requests identification of a description of a geographic environment that corresponds to at least one of a vehicle, a building, a transit facility, a sports facility, a public space, or a thoroughfare.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the radio access network promotes radio communication based on at least one of a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless protocol, a global system for mobile communications (GSM) wireless protocol, a long term evolution (LTE) wireless protocol, a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) wireless protocol, or an integrated digital enhanced network (iDEN) wireless protocol.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

based on the analysis of each message, determining whether a correlation exists between at least a subset of the plurality of messages and the corresponding metrics associated with the at least one base transceiver station,

wherein the correlation exists by exceeding a predefined threshold; and

responsive to the determination that a correlation exists, sending a notification to a communication service provider associated with the radio access network, wherein the notification comprises an identification of the determined correlation.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

wherein the network communication test is conducted between the another mobile communication device and a component of the radio access network, and wherein the network communication test mimics a type of communication associated with the one of the plurality of mobile communication devices that is transmitted the request for a detailed explanation, and

based on the network communication test, generating a connectivity metric.

20. The method of claim 19,

wherein the network communication test is based on at least one attribute of the existing correlation that is shared with the another mobile communication device of the network communication test, and

wherein the at least one attribute comprises any of a manufacturer, a developer, a predefined geographic location, a time of day, a customer account, or a planned event.